“We are at war with a country that the president of the United States defined just two or three days ago, if not yesterday, as a country in which there is practically no rule of law,” Judge Ana Reyes stated during an October 15 court hearing, according to reporting by the Associated Press. The exchange occurred as Dimitar Georgiev-Remel, an assistant U.S. attorney, confirmed that the government was actively fulfilling deportation orders for Iranian citizens despite the ongoing military conflict between the two nations.
As reported by the Associated Press, court documents reveal that the administration of Donald Trump conducted secret negotiations with Iranian authorities to facilitate these deportations. The planning, which surfaced in declassified documents, involved the potential transfer of Iranian nationals through an unnamed third country.
Judicial Oversight of Removal Plans
Judge Reyes has ordered the government to provide the court with 24 hours’ notice once a deportation plan is finalized. The authorities must submit a written notification to the court five days before any such removal is executed. These requirements follow disclosures that the U.S. government maintained direct contact with Iranian representatives to secure travel documentation and coordinate the logistics of the transfers.
The court proceedings are part of a broader lawsuit alleging that U.S. immigration officials shared confidential information regarding Iranian asylum seekers with the Iranian government. Plaintiffs argue that these actions violate federal immigration regulations and endanger the lives of those seeking refuge. The Department of Homeland Security has denied allegations that it provided asylum application documents to Tehran.
Historical Shifts in Deportation Strategy
Historically, deportations of Iranian citizens have been rare due to the absence of formal diplomatic relations and the high risk of persecution upon return. However, reports from the Associated Press indicate that during his second term, Donald Trump intensified efforts to deport individuals to countries with which Washington maintains strained relations or that typically refuse to accept their citizens.
Data from internal communications show that U.S. immigration officials collaborated with Iranian counterparts to organize three flights between September 2025 and January 2026, resulting in the return of more than 100 Iranian citizens. To circumvent diplomatic barriers, the administration has utilized third-party nations—including Costa Rica, Panama, and El Salvador—as transit points for deportees.
Judge Reyes Restricts Deportations over Death Concerns
What specific safety concerns were raised during the court proceedings?
Judge Reyes expressed concern that returning individuals to the region would expose them to a “serious danger of almost certain death,” citing the current state of conflict and the administration’s own characterization of the Iranian government.
Are there ongoing legal restrictions on these deportations?
Yes. In addition to the requirement for 24-hour notice of finalized plans, the court has mandated a five-day advance written notice before any deportation can be carried out.
How does this cooperation differ from previous diplomatic relations?
The coordination between U.S. and Iranian authorities represents a significant departure from decades of diplomatic hostility. The lawsuit alleges that U.S. officials actively worked to identify Iranian citizens detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and pressured them to return to their home country.
“And you are telling me that the United States of America is going to send people back to this region, where they are awaited, as we both know and as would be clear to anyone, by at the very least a serious danger of almost certain death,” Judge Reyes remarked to the government representative in court.
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